New livestream brings remote Australian arid zone waterhole to the world

A new livestream from a remote waterhole in the Northern Territory is giving people around the world the opportunity to observe wildlife in real time. 

The YouTube livestream of the waterhole in Watarrka National Park in Central Australia, is a collaboration between Charles Darwin University's (CDU) Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) and NT Parks and Wildlife. 

The camera is set up at a pool on a temporary stream on the Watarrka escarpment, 350km south-west of Alice Springs.

Viewers can watch as the waterhole changes throughout the day and across the seasons as dingoes, kangaroos, birds and other animals drink, catch prey or use the streambed as a path when the pool dries. 

Insects such as dragonflies, butterflies and moths flit across the camera and at night, resident frogs can be detected by their eyeshine.

CDU RIEL Professor of Freshwater Ecology Jenny Davis said the livestream would give viewers an appreciation for the nature at Watarrka, highlight the changing weather conditions, and the importance of water in sustaining life in arid inland Australia.

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“The waterholes of the park provide important refuges for aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna," Professor Davis said. 

"These biodiversity refuges are particularly important in a region where the rainfall regime is one of the world’s most variable and unpredictable, and summer air temperatures can be extreme. 

"The information provided by this livestream and related research projects will inform the conservation of these freshwater ecosystems, and the species they support, under a changing climate." 

Watarrka National Park is renowned for its spectacular sandstone landscapes, diverse ecosystems and cultural significance to the Matutjara people. 

“Watarrka National Park is a special spot in the Red Centre, offering breathtaking landscapes that are home to many unique animals. This live stream allows people to experience some of our wildlife and gain an appreciation of life in the Outback, all from the comfort of home” said NT Parks and Wildlife Senior District Ranger Di Bowman.

The livestream can be viewed on the Watarrka Waterhole Wildlife YouTube channel.

Information on movements that trigger the camera are also logged on an accompanying website, where viewers can click on specific times.